


That Which Was Lost (And Could Have Been)

by Wolfrider1



Series: Crown of Thorns (Dwarf Noble) [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Angst and Feels, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Heartache, Heartbreak, Lost Love, Mutual Pining, Regret, Romance, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:35:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23637676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfrider1/pseuds/Wolfrider1
Summary: Sereda and Gorim fell hard for each other. But events outside of their power tore them apart, and they mourn the love, thelife, that could have been.
Relationships: Female Aeducan/Gorim Saelac, Gorim Saelac/Warden
Series: Crown of Thorns (Dwarf Noble) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1744471
Kudos: 9





	That Which Was Lost (And Could Have Been)

“Tuck your elbow closer to your body! And keep your feet farther apart! Remember, strong stance—” Sereda nodded sharply at her personal trainer, Barran of House Helmi. An aging grump of a man, but well respected by the noble castes of Orzammar. He was a tough teacher, unrelenting even to a young girl of twelve, but he obtained sound results, offering up some of the best warriors and generals Orzammar has seen. Some cowed under his harsh stare, but not Sereda. She was the second in line to the throne of Orzammar, the beloved princess of the people and daughter of the great Endrin Aeducan. Her sweet, soft-spoken words and warm smiles were always quickly overpowered by her tenacity on the battlefield. Under his demanding tutelage, she flourished, far exceeding her father’s expectations.

“Is the key to a strong, firm shield wall.” Sereda corrected her footwork, just in time for a thundering blow from her sparring partner. Barran watched on, pleased. He opened his mouth for a rare compliment but the arrival of King Endrin himself stayed his words. “Ah, your majesty.” He gave a quick bow to his king before turning back to Sereda with a call. “Lady Aeducan, please continue going through your steps. I will only be a moment.” Sereda gave a grunt in response, her eyes never leaving her target. Barran turned to the king and dipped his head in respect.

“Barran, I see her training has been going well. I will admit, she has become quite the fighter.”

“Indeed, had I known she would be this skilled and hardworking, I would have requested to begin training her years earlier!” Endrin gave a deep throaty laugh.

“You’d have her wielding a sword when she was just a tike!”

“And even then, she would give some of our best fighters a run for their money. I quite look forward to her first campaign. Her skill in battle is formidable, but her quick-thinking and strategy is almost downright terrifying.”

“That it is. I still remember when a splinter carta kidnapped her and Bhelen. When we arrived at their hideout, there she was, waiting on the doorstep, Bhelen tucked into her side. Her face was furious!” Endrin let out another chuckle. “She had those men all twisted up.”

“Indeed, it was quite the sight.”

“Ah, but enough reminiscing! I have come with a duty.”

“Young Gorim, please come forward.” A young boy, with a blaze of red hair and the start of equally reddish beard, stepped out from the hallway he was waiting in. His father walked close behind him, guiding him forward with a firm hand. Endrin slung an arm over the boy’s shoulders and presented him to Barran.

“Oh? Is this Lord Saelac’s eldest son?” Endrin gave Gorim a nod, giving him permission to speak.

“Yes, my lord. It is an honor to meet with you.” Endrin cleared his throat.

“It is my intention for him to begin training with Sereda.”

“I take it he’s to be her second?”

“In time, yes. We need to make sure the two are compatible, but, from what I have observed of the lad, his skill is near comparable to hers. They will be good compliments, both in skill and personality.” Barran gave Gorim, who straightened up at the second observant stare, an appraising look.

“Yes. I can see it. The way he carries himself promises a formidable opponent. Sereda!” He barked. The young lady stopped her relentless attack on her hapless partner and tilted her head towards her teacher.

“Ser?”

“I want you to come over here for a second.” Sereda nodded, sheaving her sword and gliding over to the group with an elegance almost in opposition to her sturdy build.

“Father.” She curtsied. “Is something the matter?” Endrin smiled.

“Quite the contrary. I wished to introduce you to young Gorim, of House Saelac.” He gave the boy a hefty pat on the shoulder. Sereda turned to him with a curious look before her father spoke once more. “Lord Saelac has expressed interest in him training with you, and we have come to an agreement that he would make a fitting second for you.” The three adults continued to converse, mentioning logistics and plans going forth but the two children exchanged glances. His deep eyes met her rich earthy ones, and their lips mirrored each other in shy but reassuring smiles.

Their fathers had them go through their paces together, and after a few vocal affirmations, Lord Saelac turned towards the exit, beckoning his son to follow. As he left, Gorim spared a glance backwards, and neither Sereda or he could bare to tear their eyes from each other’s.

-

“Gorim! You get back here!” Sereda shrieked, running down the halls of the royal palace.

“C’mon, my lady, I know you can run faster than that!”

“You’re going to wish you were faster in just a minute!” Gorim laughed in response, which only fueled Sereda’s determination. Their thundering steps echoed down the great stone corridor, shouts rebounding for all to hear. Sereda was quickly gaining on Gorim, however, unladen with the weight of a stolen statuette. Her arm was outstretched, hand wildly grasping for the long braid on the back of Gorim’s head and—

“Goodness, Sereda! Did someone let loose of pack of Brontos in here?” Sereda gazed up to the stern expression of his father, whose amusement was revealed by the faint upturn of his cheeks and crinkle of his eyes.

“No, just a red-headed thief!” Gorim peaked around the figure of her father, and a fire was relit in her eyes. “But don’t worry! I got him!” And she propelled herself off the floor and gave chase to the poor boy again.

“Sereda,” he chuckled. “What am I going to do with you?”

-

“Look Gorim!” Sereda pointed to a freshly painted stall. “A new shipment of books!”

“Goodness, my lady. Don’t you already have enough?” She shook her head impatiently at him.

“Gorim, one can never have enough!” Without waiting for a response, she eagerly approached the vendor and began perusing the assortment of books and trinkets. Soon, however, a fuss drove her attention away from the merchant’s wares.

“You scoundrel! I should have your hands cut off for you thievery!” A nearby shopkeeper held a young casteless boy by the arm. “Guards! Guards! I have a thief for you!” Sereda began to step forward as the dwarven guard arrived at the scene.

“My Lady, what—”

“Shush, Gorim.” Sereda shouldered her way through the growing crowd until she stood behind the guard. The poor boy was trembling in the shopkeeper’s grip as the guard prepared to drag him away. “What is going on here?” The shopkeeper’s eyes widened in surprise and nearly fell over in his attempt to bow.

“Your royal highness! I apologize for such a fuss. This urchin will be dealt with swiftly, and—” Sereda raised a hand to silence him. She let her gaze travel until it met the blown eyes of the struggling boy.

“Unhand the child at once.” The shopkeeper blinked.

“What?” Gorim stepped forward at this.

“You heard her, unhand the boy.” Sereda extended her arm to prevent Gorim from moving even closer but remained firm in her look. With a heavy sigh, the shopkeeper loosened his grip, and the boy immediately scrambled away from him, bumping into Sereda in his haste. The guards reacted instantly and pulled their swords on the boy, but Sereda once more raised her hand to stop them. Placing a gentle but firm hand on the boy’s shoulder, she beckoned Gorim with a hand. She gave him a glance, and Gorim immediately pulled out the coin purse he carried for her and placed it in her awaiting palm.

“What did he steal?”

“Uh, a jeweled necklace, my lady.” Sereda hummed in response and pulled out several gold coins, daintily placing them in the shopkeeper’s hand. His eyes widened at the surplus she readily gave him.

“There, no harm done.” She gave Gorim another look, and he cleared his throat with a cough.

“Alright, that’s enough crowding. Get on your way, come on!” Sereda gave a pointed look to the guards, and they made short work of clearing the rest of the crowd. Satisfied, she turned to the shivering boy standing before her.

“Hello, ser. May I hear your name?” The boy, startled, gave a glance up before staring fixedly at the floor.

“Aedin, my lady.” Sereda’s face softened.

“Well, Aedin, I don’t know about you, but I am feeling quite famished. Would you care to accompany me?” The boy nodded slowly, hesitant but with hope shining through his features, and Sereda placed a reassuring hand on his back and began to guide him away to a food stall. Gorim stood unmoving for a second and watched Sereda glide across the stone pathway with the casteless boy stumbling next to her. A smile came unbidden to his lips when she bent down to the boy’s level and offered him a rich pastry. Her warm eyes blinked up to his, and Gorim’s heart beat loud and sudden. _Come_ , they called.

This… this was a woman he could stand behind.

-

“Gorim!” She needn’t call. Gorim blinked to her side before she even finished.

“Yes, my lady.” Sereda gave him a side smile.

“Ready?” Her eyes flashed with a plan, and he gave a nod.

“Of course.” The two plunged headfirst into the middle of a carta street brawl, swords whirling in a circle of destruction and skill.

-

“That was amazing, Gorim!” Sereda slipped her helm off, sweaty hair standing up in a halo of frizz around her forehead. Her braid was slowly coming undone, but her eyes held a blaze of glory.

“You were amazing, my lady.” Gorim responded, letting out a hearty chuckle. Sereda turned back towards him, still panting and a heavy sheen of sweat across her brow. The thrill of battle seemed to dance across her face. She returned the laugh.

“We were amazing.” She smiled. “But that has to be our best proving yet! Those twins were very talented, but…” Gorim zoned out and chose to just watch as her hands and lips moved excitedly in a vibrant retelling of the tactics and best plays of both their fight and the previous provings. Her face was still flush from the heat of the battle, giving her cheeks a rosy glow. She rambled on and on, and Gorim could only think of how lucky he was to know this goddess of a woman. Before he realized it, he was stepping forward until he was less than a foot away from her form. Sereda fell silent, and sound of breathing filled the air between them. Her eyes met his, and she was smiling, wide, mouth slightly open. Her brown eyes swam with emotion, softened at his look, and Gorim gave an equally soft smile in return. Sereda placed a warm hand on his cheek, and without a single thought, the two met under the soft glow of the subterranean lights.

It was soft and easy and the most natural thing Gorim had ever done. After they pulled away, Sereda placed her head on his chest and sighed in contentment, Gorim’s arm coming up to wrap themselves around her. She was an goddess, an angel of light, and he basked in her heavenly warmth. In his heart, he knew it could not be. This was a woman he should stand behind. Yet…

This… this was a woman that made a place for him by her side.

\---

-

\---

Sereda stood in front of her full-length mirror, her lips turned down in a melancholic frown. Her fingers moved with expert precision as she artfully weaved her hair into an elaborate braid. With a hefty sigh, she let it rest against the back of her neck and gazed into the glass pane, searchingly. Her deep earthy eyes looked back unblinkingly.

Faintly, she heard the open and close of the heavy stone door at the forefront of her bedroom. Sereda elected to ignore the sound and remained fixated on the mirror. Footsteps echoed around the grand room, growing louder and louder until it slowed to a soft pit-pat directly behind her. She watched carefully as Gorim came to a stop, less than a foot from where she stood, his head framed by her broad dwarfish shoulders. Their eyes met briefly, but Sereda glanced away quickly, as if she were slapped. She looked down at her hands and let out another hefty sigh.

“That’s quite a sigh, my lady,” he teased. When she didn’t respond, his eyes softened considerably, and he leaned in closer to her and lowered his voice to a low murmer. “What’s on your mind?”

“I—” she choked off. Gorim placed a large hand on her shoulder, rubbing it gently. Her warm eyes glanced up to his face, seeking the ever present kindness in his gentle gaze. Her comfort. Gorim gave her a smile, which she tried but failed to match.

“My lady—”

“Sereda.” Her eyes flashed with urgency, need. “ _Please_.” She gasped, before screwing her eyes shut.

“ _Sereda_ ,” Gorim said, with all the love he could muster. Just to show her. So she knows that he understands. A single tear slipped down her cheeks, and he couldn’t resist any longer.

His breath was hot against her flush skin as he moved in closer. Gorim placed a single chaste kiss at the base of her neck before resting his chin on the cozy little nook between her neck and shoulder. Strong, burly arms wrapped around her midsection, warmth radiating from his touch where the two bodies came together. Sereda felt her tense body relax in his strong hold, and she finally let out of breath of relief.

“Gorim, what will happen to us tomorrow? In the coming days?” Gorim sighed into her skin, gently rocking her back and forth as her hands came to rest over his.

“Your father’s words really got to you, hmm?” Sereda glanced at him. “We always knew this wouldn’t work. I’m a knight. You’re a noble. It was never… never going to work the way we dreamed.”

“And yet you’re still here.”  
“And yet I’m still here,” he echoed. Her eyes looked up to his, and they met again, this time Sereda keeping the gaze.

“Promise me, no matter what, you won’t leave my side.”

“I promise. I will stay by your side until the stone takes me, until the world breathes its last.” Sereda smiled, soft and warm. She craned her head to look directly into his eyes, and their lips met in desperate passion.


End file.
